Complaint Review: Sears

On February 2nd I called for a repairman for my refrigerator. I called Sears where we purchase our appliances. The repair department told me it would be $55.00 for a service call to give me an estimate for repair. They had also said the 55.00 is added into the price of the repair if I choose to have them do the repair. I agreed to have them come out the next day.

The repairman arrived and after 10 minutes told me there was nothing wrong with my refrigerator, that it was just the humidity in my house. Then he told me that it would be $110.00. I asked him what he just said as I had already been quoted $55.00 for the service call. He said no it is 110.00 for a service call. I explained again that I was quoted 55.00 on the phone and they had also said the 55.00 is also added into the price of the repair if I choose to have them do the repair.

The repairman told me there is this problem alot because for some reason the scheduling department on the phone is not allowed to tell people that the service call is more than $55.00. It was to late to call anyone then, so I called SEARS corporate office this morning and spoke with a Julian in the Service Recovery Team.

He informed me that it is 110.00 for a service call if there is nothing wrong with the appliance. I told him that they NEVER mentioned that to me when I spoke with them on the phone or I never would have had Sears come out for that price. He said this is how business is done with the service department.

Whenever I have ever had people come out and give repair estimates for plumbing or heating or anything like that before they just charge their service call fee I was quoted. Not some other made up number that they just feel like charging me.

How can Sears get away with this? They are intentionally giving incorrect information to people on the phone because they know nobody in their right mind would say come on out if they knew they were going to pay 110.00 (THAT is DOUBLE what they quoted me)if there was nothing wrong with their appliance. I only paid the 55.00 I was quoted, but will never purchase another item from Sears.

I think Sears needs to be exposed for how they rip people off like that. If I had been a very passive person or an elderly person that usually falls for these scams I would have paid it. I wonder how many people they have done this too? I have contacted my local news station hoping they may be able to do some sort of coverage on companies like this that they KNOW they are doing wrong but that is "how they do business".

I think there are probably alot of people out there that deserve to get their money back. Maybe a class action law suit. HOW can companies legally get away with this?? Has this sort of thing happened to anyone else before? What can be done to stop this sort of overcharging?

Debbie
Lake county, Indiana
U.S.A.